--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd like to teach Iraq about Democracy…" description: "\"I'd like to teach Iraq about Democracy because we're so experienced with it. First they should know that after 100 years they should free their slaves...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/156/kurt-vonnegut-41_cleansing_i-d-like-to-teach-iraq-about-democracy-b_1033925.jpg" --- # I'd like to teach Iraq about Democracy because we're so… ![“I'd like to teach Iraq about Democracy because we're so experienced with it. First they should know that after 100 years they should free their slaves. Then after 150 years they should give their women the right to vote. Oh, and of course when they start it all they should begin with some genocide…” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/156/kurt-vonnegut-41_cleansing_i-d-like-to-teach-iraq-about-democracy-b_1033925.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/156/kurt-vonnegut-41_cleansing_i-d-like-to-teach-iraq-about-democracy-b_1033925.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/156/kurt-vonnegut-41_cleansing_i-d-like-to-teach-iraq-about-democracy-b_1033925.jpg) > “I'd like to teach Iraq about Democracy because we're so experienced with it. First they should know that after 100 years they should free their slaves. Then after 150 years they should give their women the right to vote. Oh, and of course when they start it all they should begin with some genocide and ethnic cleansing.” [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A sarcastic critique of imposing Western democratic models on societies without considering their history and cultural context. **In simple terms:** Mocking the idea of teaching democracy without understanding local realities. Key Takeaway Recognize cultural context before promoting political systems. Themes politics culture imperialism satire Mood cynical critical ironic Type satirical political commentary When to use this quote - foreign policy - development aid - education programs - NGO work Key Concepts colonialism democratic theory human rights Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do powerful nations have when influencing others? - How can aid respect local traditions while promoting rights? A Different Perspective Oversimplifies complex societal change and ignores local agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Ethnic cleansing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethnic-cleansing/) [Genocide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genocide/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Right to vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-to-vote/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) ## Related quotes > [I have wanted to give Iraq a lesson in democracy - because we're experienced with it, you know. And, in democracy, after a hundred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-have-wanted-to-give-iraq-a-lesson-in-democracy-because-we-re/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [You have to understand that to have a revolution when you are 18 years old is completely different from normal political leaders who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-manuel-barroso/you-have-to-understand-that-to-have-a-revolution-when-you-are-18/) [Jose Manuel Barroso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-manuel-barroso/) > [Will Iraq be a democracy? The question is, 'Will America be a democracy?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/will-iraq-be-a-democracy-the-question-is-will-america-be-a-democracy/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [If you know anything about Islamic civilization, or about the contemporary Middle East, about the sociology and the anthropology of the people who live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/if-you-know-anything-about-islamic-civilization-or-about-the/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [It will take years to bring Iraq the democracy it deserves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-owens/it-will-take-years-to-bring-iraq-the-democracy-it-deserves/) [Bill Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-owens/) > [The view that we hold in Iraq now is this - that democracy is associated with elections. I believe that elections are possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-chalabi/the-view-that-we-hold-in-iraq-now-is-this-that-democracy-is/) [Ahmed Chalabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-chalabi/) > [“Between 1945 and 1947 tens of millions of men, women and children were expelled from their countries in some of the biggest acts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-lowe/between-1945-and-1947-tens-of-millions-of-men-women-and-children-were/) [Keith Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-lowe/) > [“Bosnia's war had its visual hallmarks. Parks that were turned into cemeteries, refugee families piled onto horse-drawn carts, stop-or-die checkpoints with mines across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maass/bosnia-s-war-had-its-visual-hallmarks-parks-that-were-turned-into/) Peter Maass > [“Religious dogma not only results in the form of gross, zealous behavior such as the killing of ethnic minorities as part of a cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-dansky/religious-dogma-not-only-results-in-the-form-of-gross-zealous/) [Martin Dansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-dansky/) > [“By attempting to surgically erase or "correct" visual traits that connect women of colour to their ancestry, these shows perpetrate a symbolic form of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-pozner/by-attempting-to-surgically-erase-or-correct-visual-traits-that/) [Jennifer L. Pozner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-pozner/) > [“When ethnic cleansing feels enlightened, Sinai becomes septic, Bethlehem becomes Bedlam.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/when-ethnic-cleansing-feels-enlightened-sinai-becomes-septic/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Holocaust Theatre (Naskaristana 2799) Most social issues are rooted in religion, most religious issues are rooted in politics, most political issues are vestiges of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/holocaust-theatre-naskaristana-2799-most-social-issues-are-rooted-in/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Israel should have exploited the repression of the demonstrations in China, when world attention focused on that country, to carry out mass expulsions among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/israel-should-have-exploited-the-repression-of-the-demonstrations-in/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [“The human race comes from Africa, but inhumanity originated in Europe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-human-race-comes-from-africa-but-inhumanity-originated-in-europe/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [We must not forget; but we must forgive. Suffering often such compassion from the Jewish community. It was Jewish groups in the US who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/we-must-not-forget-but-we-must-forgive-suffering-often-such/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) ## More by Kurt Vonnegut > [“You must bloom as a writer and I must bloom as a painter. Everything else about us is uninteresting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-must-bloom-as-a-writer-and-i-must-bloom-as-a-painter-everything/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“People aren't supposed to look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/people-aren-t-supposed-to-look-back/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Have a good nap, did you?” said the porter. “Yes,” said Billy. “Man,” said the porter, “you sure had a hard-on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/have-a-good-nap-did-you-said-the-porter-yes-said-billy-man-said-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I told him that if we doubted that we are demons in Hell, he should read The Mysterious Stranger, which Mark Twain wrote in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-told-him-that-if-we-doubted-that-we-are-demons-in-hell-he-should/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I had a certain amount of skill as a dramatist, and Dr. Goebbels wanted me to use it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-had-a-certain-amount-of-skill-as-a-dramatist-and-dr-goebbels-wanted/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. Lucky me, lucky mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-was-some-of-the-mud-that-got-to-sit-up-and-look-around-lucky-me/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The town was Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-town-was-newport-rhode-island-u-s-a-earth-solar-system-milky-way/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Her face was one of a kind, a surprising variation that made observers think, Yes--that would be another very nice way for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/her-face-was-one-of-a-kind-a-surprising-variation-that-made-observers/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“You finally fell in love, I see,” said Salo. “Only an Earthling year ago,” said Constant. “It took us that long to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-finally-fell-in-love-i-see-said-salo-only-an-earthling-year-ago/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Like all Earthlings at the point of death, Mary Young sent faint reminders of herself to those who had known her. She released a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/like-all-earthlings-at-the-point-of-death-mary-young-sent-faint/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“And contrast Mary Kathleen, if you will, with my wife Ruth, the Ophelia of the death camps, who believed that even the most intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-contrast-mary-kathleen-if-you-will-with-my-wife-ruth-the-ophelia/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Someday, someday, this crazy world will have to end, And our God will take things back that He to us did lend. And if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/someday-someday-this-crazy-world-will-have-to-end-and-our-god-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“They were going back to the slaughterhouse for souvenirs of the war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-going-back-to-the-slaughterhouse-for-souvenirs-of-the-war/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“There are plenty of good reasons for fighting," I said, "but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/there-are-plenty-of-good-reasons-for-fighting-i-said-but-no-good/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Explore all 2,089 Kurt Vonnegut quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More Cleansing quotes > [I put hibiscus flower in every cup of tea I have. It's sweet, sexy, and cleansing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/i-put-hibiscus-flower-in-every-cup-of-tea-i-have-it-s-sweet-sexy-and/) [Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/) > [We must not forget; but we must forgive. Suffering often such compassion from the Jewish community. It was Jewish groups in the US who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/we-must-not-forget-but-we-must-forgive-suffering-often-such/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I use Bioderma. It's like a cleansing oil. I just use that to cleanse my face, I use moisturizer and that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-consani/i-use-bioderma-it-s-like-a-cleansing-oil-i-just-use-that-to-cleanse/) [Alex Consani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-consani/) > [I find the greatest songs in the world come out of pain, and I don't like it! Here's what it does: It strips away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-richie/i-find-the-greatest-songs-in-the-world-come-out-of-pain-and-i-don-t/) [Lionel Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-richie/) > [When I get home at night, then it's time for the real cleansing deal. I go to town either with the Clarisonic or ProActiv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-torres/when-i-get-home-at-night-then-it-s-time-for-the-real-cleansing-deal-i/) [Eve Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-torres/) > [I don't want to say I drank the Kool-Aid because I'm definitely not religious and I don't buy into any religion at all. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ladyhawke/i-don-t-want-to-say-i-drank-the-kool-aid-because-i-m-definitely-not/) [Ladyhawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ladyhawke/) > [“Laugh now, and laugh hard. For laughter is the bell. And when it rings, it cleanses the air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/laugh-now-and-laugh-hard-for-laughter-is-the-bell-and-when-it-rings/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“cleansing your friends doesn’t mean you have to expel them from your life forever, but depending on the level of their negativity and potentially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-alden/cleansing-your-friends-doesn-t-mean-you-have-to-expel-them-from-your/) [Michael Alden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-alden/) > [Israel should have exploited the repression of the demonstrations in China, when world attention focused on that country, to carry out mass expulsions among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/israel-should-have-exploited-the-repression-of-the-demonstrations-in/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [In the evening, I use a cleansing oil - coconut oil also works - to remove makeup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-mock/in-the-evening-i-use-a-cleansing-oil-coconut-oil-also-works-to-remove/) [Janet Mock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-mock/) > [“Work has a way of cleansing the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-wheeler/work-has-a-way-of-cleansing-the-mind/) [Jeff Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-wheeler/) > [“If salt is a cleansing agent,can't the sea wash away our sins.?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ms-nazareth/if-salt-is-a-cleansing-agent-can-t-the-sea-wash-away-our-sins/) ms.nazareth > [The law, instead of cleansing the heart from sin, doth revive it, put strength into, and increase it in the soul, even as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-law-instead-of-cleansing-the-heart-from-sin-doth-revive-it-put/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“Many think they play the last act. With life in turmoil, they seem to live the setup of a shattering countdown. To an insistent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/many-think-they-play-the-last-act-with-life-in-turmoil-they-seem-to/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [As most doctors will tell you, cleansing is ridiculous. You know what's been around longer than that state-of-the-art juicer? Your kidneys. And your liver.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/as-most-doctors-will-tell-you-cleansing-is-ridiculous-you-know-what-s/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) Browse all 238 Cleansing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'd like to teach Iraq about Democracy because we're so experienced with it. First they should know that after 100 years they should free their slaves. Then after 150 years they should give their women the right to vote. 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